What Matters
by MrsMalfoy14
Summary: Sometimes what matters isn't wealth. It isn't beauty. And it sure isn't who one was. And right now, Hermione Granger is the only one willing to give Draco Malfoy the help he needs before he destroys himself
1. Chapter 1

**Hello darlings!**

I know i haven't posted anything in a while but i've been working on many stories which I can't seem to finish -_- Anyhow, this mini-story however is almost done and i just couldn't wait to share with you the first part. I quite like it if I may say so. I'm not sure why... maybe it's the mood of desperation, maybe it's something else.. I don't know but whatever it is, i hope you'll like it as well. The second part is almost done and i'll be posting it maybe later tonight. There might be just 3 chapters to it... or two... I haven't quite decided yet but

**Let me know what you think yeah?**

**.**

**.**

**P.S : **If you like classical music (i do!) and would like to have an audio for what Draco was playing, check out **Rachmaninov's Prelude in C Sharp Minor** on youtube and just assume the piece is way longer than 4 minutes! =) Let me know if you liked it!

**.**

**.**

**.**

**What Matters...**

.

**.**

**.**

Unable to fall asleep, Hermione swung her feet over the bed and got up. Tying her hair atop her head in a messy bun, she slipped on her slippers and pulled a sweatshirt over her pajama pants. Without having to look at her reflection, she knew she looked just like a mess. But it was late, no one would see her. And if they did, her appearance was honestly the last thing she could care about. She felt so tired. Her mind ached from being on overdrive 24/7, her body was sore from all the battles. And as if that wasn't enough, sleep refused to pay her a visit when she lied down at night. So in turn, she grew everyday looking a bit more like a ghost. She was getting skinnier by the day and dark circles painted around her eyes like a mural. And it was all because of Voldemort.

As she walked down the hall of their refugee house, she thought about the people they had lost to this war. The list was long enough without even adding her parents. She choked back the tears and wandered absentmindedly down the halls of Zabini Manor, refusing to think of them.

She had no specific destination. She just needed to walk and maybe it would tire her out enough to fall asleep.

Eventually, she ended up in the dungeons of the house. And just as she was about to turn around and make her way back to her room, she heard it…

Soft piano notes playing an agonizing tune. It was like nothing she'd ever heard before. It oozed pain. Each note, though ever so soft and smooth, seemed to detonate in an aching cry of anger and helplessness.

Her brows pulled in tightly, she took cautious steps forward. She knew perfectly well who lived in the dungeons. _He_ had retreated there about 2 years ago when they had all decided the manor was a better place for cover than Sirius's house. _He_ only came upstairs when his presence was required and in turn, nobody ever went to bother him down there except maybe Blaise. And despite having joined the Order, _he_ still remained cold to anybody who ever approached him.

Moving as silently as possible towards the door at the end of the dark hall, Hermione held her breath. Slowly, she reached for the knob, pushed the door open and slipped inside without a sound.

The room was immersed in complete darkness. She shuddered as the crisp cold air grazed her skin. Slowly, she let her eyes adjust to the complete lack of light, the unfamiliarity of the surroundings forcing her to stand close by the door. And besides, she hadn't come here looking for adventure. All she wanted to do was listen to that music that seemed to have hypnotized her and leave before her presence was noticed.

In the back of her mind, she knew she was invading _his _privacy, but there was nothing she could do at this point. Her body seemed frozen, refusing to leave just as her mind fixated on those lulling notes that flew in the air ever so swiftly. And although the melody was all too painful, she stayed there, focusing on that sound that seemed to be coming from the far right corner of the room.

It felt like a few minutes went by, or maybe an hour or two, before the music eased its way to its end. There was no hope in those last notes. Only a pain that concealed some type of unreleased anger. And as she stood there, waiting for him to start a new piece, a whisper reached her ears just as blinding lights came on all around the room.

In complete shock, Hermione blinked a couple of times, stepping back into the wall, as if looking desperately for its protection and desperately feeling the door for the knob. The vast room finally came in clear view as her eyes readjusted to the lights. Quickly, her eyes made a sweep of the white furniture against the white walls. The only colors that painted the place were those of the steel legs of the small table in the middle of a living room; the black of the bed frame, of the piano standing across the room and… of the sweats hanging loosely from Draco Malfoy's hips.

As their eyes met, Hermione froze once more. She had never seen so much anger in a person's pupils. And she knew he had every right to be angry because she had intruded. Just because he had joined the Order and was now fighting on their side didn't exactly mean they were friends. In fact, they weren't. They merely exchanged greeting words out of politeness. Of course he wasn't his arrogant old Hogwarts self and didn't insult her every chance he got anymore but their "relationship" didn't go any further. He ignored her most of the time. And that was fine by her. She had no interest whatsoever in befriending him. But as far as she could remember, he had never looked at her with so much anger. Never.

And that burning flame that seemed to consummate his eyes lifted every hair on her body. If there was one thing everyone in the manor knew very well it was never to anger him. Better yet, to stay clear of him whenever he was madder than usual. Because after witnessing his wrath when he learned of his mother's death, they all knew what he was capable of.

She watched as he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes, his already cold face contorting to one more ferocious. As her hand finally reached the knob and realization dawned on her that it was locked, a hiss escaped her dry lips. The air suddenly felt overly charged with aggression as he reopened his eyes. But that wasn't what shocked her.

As his eyes focused on her, the metal-like color they usually held looked like it had melted away, leaving a faint trace of silver slowly disintegrating into the white part of his irises. And behind them, anger burned, in a raw manner that made her feel like a miserable prey haunted by the deadliest animal on earth. He almost looked possessed.

Unbeknownst to her, she stepped back closer to the door if possible, trying her best to mold into it, praying absurdly to become invisible. But one minute, she was all the way across the room and the next, her body was being forcefully dragged closer to him even before she faintly heard him mutter the spell.

Her muscles cringed in pain as she fought the pull he was exerting on her. Soon enough, despite all the might she put into resisting, she was a few feet away from him. And up close, he looked like the personification of terror.

His lips twitched with disgust and mockery as he saw the look of panic that flew across her face when he closed the distance between them.

Still unable to move, Hermione stood there, her brain desperately looking for a solution of escape.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your intrusion Granger?" he asked quietly, making a move to cross his arms over his chest only to quickly drop them back down along his body with a wince.

And just then, Hermione's eyes fell upon the fresh tattoo running down his left forearm. The snake that had been imprinted there probably mere hours earlier moved slowly between his pores, as if looking for an escape as well.

_How ironic_, she would've thought if she wasn't completely dumbfounded.

"You got the mark…" she managed to whisper, her voice sounding more like Harry's than her own.

"How attentive you are…" he spat, "maybe you deserve a special place in the afterlife for your keen observations!"

She cringed, getting the meaning of his words. Fear sprang behind her eyes, but when she spoke, it was with determination:

"I'm not scared of you Malfoy. You won't hurt me."

And with that, she crossed her arms over her chest, although unsure of her previous statement.

.

.

Out of nowhere, a slash of pain cut through his arm. _The mark_, was his one and only explanation.

He had gotten it 4 hours ago and it still burned achingly.

He was angry at the world. His father, his mother, Voldemort, Potter… But most of all, he was angry at Hermione Granger.

How dare she come in his room and invade his privacy? How dare she walk in here and take a bit of his anger away from him with every minute she stayed?

He liked being angry. It reminded him that his mother was dead. It reminded him he was a double agent for the Order. It reminded him of his hate for his father.

It was that rage, above all, that kept him alive. He fed from it every day, getting in it the strength to fight against Voldemort and alongside people he didn't like. It was the only thing that gave meaning to his life.

And yet, she had waltzed into his room and had taken it away from him.

He hated her.

He hated the fact that she was ridiculously smart. He hated the fact that she cared just about everyone. He hated that she never cared about him.

She was a great friend from what he could see from her relationship with Potter and Weslaid. And he hated that also.

He loathed that aside from her late fatigue, she was always full of life when he was dead inside. She could laugh at about just anything, and he couldn't.

But what he detested the most was that he had been taught from a young age to despise the likes of her… the mudbloods.

Had that not been the case then maybe, just maybe…

With fury, he pushed those silly thoughts away from his mind.

He hated her. It was as simple as that.

Not because she was a mudblood. He really didn't care about that nonsense any longer.

No, he hated her because she was the personification of all the things he always wanted to be.

Another slash of pain sent shivers down his spine as he glared at her. His hands balled into fists, the blood visibly pumping angrily through the veins that drew clearly under his skin.

"Let me see it…" she whispered, her voice so faint he wasn't even sure she had really spoken.

Shock registered in his eyes as he heard her voice echo around the room. Still, he didn't budge, pushing away those too many killing thoughts singing in the back of his head.

"Let me see it…" she reiterated softly, her eyes clinging to his in a demanding manor.

"You'd do well to leave Granger, before I snap your head in half" he scowled after a few minutes.

As if disappointed, she shook her head slowly, her eyes dropping back to his arm.

And out of nowhere, she reached for it, extending her hand ever so slowly to finally circle her thin fingers around his wrist.

A hiss of horror escaped his lips involuntarily as he finally realized she had brought his arm to her eyes for examination. She looked at it for what seemed to be a long time but for the love of everything he held dear, he could not find the strength to pull his arm away from her and throw her out of his room with half a life left.

Frozen as he was, he stood there, looking down at her with bewilderment, unable to understand what was happening.

As if standing outside of his body, he watched her release his arm and disappear behind him. His arm still in the same position, his brows furrowed in confusion, he saw her come back in front of him a moment later with a towel seemingly wet.

With much precaution, she took his right hand and pulled him to the couch where she instructed that he sat.

And without protest, he did as he was told, his left arm still extended in front of him. Bringing the towel to his fresh mark, she deposited it carefully on his arm, never bringing her eyes to meet his.

"Am I hurting you?" she asked in a murmur.

He willed his mind to snap back to reality and send her crawling outside his room in pain but instead, his head shook slowly as an answer to her question.

She sat on the coffee table in front of him, still moving the cold towel softly against his skin.

"You play the piano very well… I'd never heard anything quite as beautiful as the piece you executed earlier…"

Her voice was soft, shaking just a slight bit. And Merlin help him, it comforted him, taking a bit more of his anger away with every passing second. And the pain in his arm followed suit, reducing with every stroke of the towel.

At least a good hour passed between her going to the bathroom to dampen the towel with fresh cold water and coming back to care for him.

He really didn't understand what was going on, his mind racing painfully over the fact that he was letting Hermione Granger within a few inches of his personal space. So much so that she was touching him.

A grimace distorted his features as he watched her work the towel over his arm… _The _arm with _the_ deatheater's mark on it.

.

.

After one more round to the bathroom, Hermione came back, yawning to the point that her jaw could've easily touched the floor.

"Keep this on for a while longer… If in the middle of the night it starts hurting, just wet the towel again and do what I've been doing and you should feel better…" she said, stifling one more yawn.

She got up from the table, looking down at him. He looked puzzled, lost and completely out of it. His eyes fixed on an object of his choice, he seemed to be oblivious to her presence.

Sighing, she moved slowly to the door, finally ready to let the angel of sleep take her away to a surreal land of nothingness.

Her hand on the knob, she turned one more time to see him in the exact same position.

"I'm sorry you had to get the mark Malfoy…" she said softly.

As he seemed to ignore her completely, she sighed once more and exited the room.

.

.

.

**So Munchkins?**

What are we thinking? Yuck? Ewww? What did she write that for? Where did she learn how to write? Awww it was cute? Hum interesting?

Well whatever you decide, I just want to have your most sincere opinion of the story so leave me a review and let me know if I should post the next chapters or not!

**Kisses,  
MrsMalfoyy.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Loves!**_  
_

So here's the second chapter like i had promised! Thank you very much to the people who reviewed! (i'll be answering you guys shortly =))**  
**

**Hope you'll like it.**

.

.

.

**What matters**  
(Part 2)

.

.

.

_Three weeks later…_

The storm outside grew fierce and loud with every passing minute. Lightning struck brightly just about anywhere it wished to. Thunder growled with ear scorching noises out of the blue. And the rain, colder than usual, fell hard on every accessible centimeter.

It was a disastrous night.

And adding the battle that had just gone down mere seconds ago between the Order and the deatheaters definitely tipped things over the edge.

Out of nowhere, a group of about 15 people apparated on the large land surrounding Zabini manor, each one of them bolting to a sprint as soon as their feet touched the ground to the house a couple of hundred meters away.

Except one.

And it wasn't until they were nearing the house that they realized someone had stayed behind.

Actually, only Hermione realized it. Stopping dead in her maddening race, she turned in a circle, looking around for the one missing person, blinking furiously to dismiss the drops of rain attempting to make their way to her eyes.

"Hermione what are you doing?" Harry shouted over the roar of the thunder.

"He's not here…" she said, panic rising from her stomach unreasonably.

"What? What are you talking about?!" her best friend yelled, mimicking the 360 degree circle she had just executed.

"Malfoy!" she screamed "He's not here!"

"Of course he is! He was next to me when we apparated."

As if reading each other's mind, they both turned in the direction they had come from, only to see a shadow standing where they had apparated.

"Hermione, go inside" Harry ordered before jogging in Malfoy's direction, feeling that something was wrong.

Ignoring Harry's command, Hermione took off behind him, soon followed by Blaise and Ron.

Stopping a few meters from what looked like a very angry Draco, they exchanged worried glances quickly.

From what happened when his mother died, they all knew no one could come close to controlling a fuming Draco Malfoy. And now that he had the mark, it would be even harder.

Plus, he'd been angrier than usual all day long. Not to mention that he had taken out more deatheaters than all the other members of the Order combined tonight. And he didn't just do so with a simple avada kedavra… No, tonight he had gone the extra mile to decapitate, stab, and torch every deatheater that crossed his path, drawing more blood than necessary from the adversaries.

They had all assumed he'd had a bad day. But seeing the rage now burning oh so intensely in his irises, Harry realized something was probably wrong with him.

"Malfoy…" he shouted, trying to bring the blonde's attention to him.

With no success, he glanced at Blaise and Ron.

"Malfoy…" Ron tried again, this time taking a few cautious steps forward, his wand pointed in Draco's direction.

Without warning, a spell hit him in the chest savagely, sending him flying over a fairly big distance.

"Blaise, get Hermione inside!" Harry screeched, running to Ron's aid.

"Hermione, you'd better listen to Harry. Draco could hurt you!" Blaise said, straining his vocal chords to cover the furious sound of the storm.

Oblivious to anything but him, Hermione took a small step forward, her skin crawling from the view Draco Malfoy presented in the faintly lit yard: His black clothes completely wet and sticking to his body, his hair dangling over his forehead, the blood splattered on his arms and neck, his hands balled into fists plus the expression of death plastered on his face made him look more frightening than ever before.

Gulping slowly, she took another small step forward, wondering why the hell she wanted to help him.

"Malfoy it's Granger…"

Sharply, his head snapped into her direction. He seemed for just a brief moment to forget about Ron but undeniably, he focused once more on the redhead whom Harry was just getting to. Without hesitation, he stepped towards them, his jaw clenched, the muscles in his arms dancing in anticipation.

Then, out of nowhere, realization hit her.

"I know why you're angry…" she screamed, surprised at how they'd been so dense to forget what day it was.

Again, his head snapped back to her. Warning bells went off in Hermione's head as she saw his features sharpen with even more anger.

"Don't do this Malfoy… It won't…"

Suddenly hit by the same spell as Ron, she flew in the same direction only to land a few feet away from Harry on the wet grass.

"Hermione!"

Just as he took off running in her direction, lightning struck somewhere deep within the woods encircling the manor. They all agreed once more, Tonight just wasn't a very good night.

Getting up painfully, Hermione gritted her teeth as the pain from her shoulder registered.

"Blaise, GET HERMIONE INSIDE!" he yelled angrily over to Blaise who was now with Ron.

"Stop telling me what to do Harry!" Hermione snapped, yanking her good arm away from her best friend's grasp.

"Hermione now is not the time to argue. Just go inside and let us deal with Malfoy!"

"You won't be able to get near him!"

"And you will?!" Harry scoffed, eyeing Malfoy who had remained where he was.

"You don't understand…" she added, shaking her head with annoyance. "His mother died a year ago today! That's why he's been so angry all day!"

"Oh…" the word left his mouth as he finally understood where Malfoy's elevated anger came from.

He nodded once and turned his back to her.

Seven other members of the Order had come outside and were now standing close to Hermione, waiting for Harry's command.

After a few seconds of strategizing, they all circled Malfoy except for Ron who was standing awkwardly next to her, holding onto his ribcage.

Wands out, they prepared to attack him until said wands suddenly flew away from their grasps. Not long after, they all cringed in pain from what Hermione suspected was the _crucio _spell Draco had casted on them. And seconds later, they were all flying in opposite directions only to land loudly on the grass with the exception of Harry whom was still standing firmly, his face distorted from the pain.

Watching in horror, Hermione ran to him.

"I'm going in!" she declared.

"Hermione he'll hurt you! Stop being stubborn for once and listen to me!"

"Stop ordering me around Harry, I'm not a child and I'm not stupid! He'll listen to me" she spat, walking decidedly towards Malfoy.

Why she thought he would listen to her of all people was a mystery to her but her gut was telling her she could get him to calm down so she dove into the piranha infested tank head first.

Of course, it was a bad idea.

When the spell hit her, she cringed, feeling all her muscles melt. But resolved as she was, she pushed the pain away and took another step closer to him.

And another. And another.

She was panting by the time she was a few inches away from him, sweat prickling over her forehead only to be pushed down fiercely with the help of the cold rain drops.

Her eyes anchored into his, she breathed in, debating what to do now that she had his full attention.

"Malfoy…"

The pain got harder to handle. It was like he was daring her to continue her senseless tirade by elevating the ache of the _crucio_ he had casted on her.

Breathing in heavily, she focused on her objective.

"Malfoy, hurting us won't bring your mother back…"

She hissed. She didn't know for how much longer she could handle it. Her head was spinning and her lungs seemed to have tightened exponentially, making it even more difficult for her to breath.

_Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale,_ she ordered herself.

Either she was starting to see white or lightning was striking everywhere around her simultaneously.

"Please stop this… I know you're better than that…"

With one last hope, she extended her hand and grabbed his before passing out.

.

.

Just in time, Draco seemed to come back brutally to his senses, reaching around Hermione's waist to prevent her from falling.

When she had touched him mere seconds ago, it was like all his anger had been knocked away suddenly.

Quickly, he took in his surroundings, remembering having caused quite a ruckus a few minutes prior.

The rain drops felt icy against his skin and the hole dripping blood down his back sent shivers up his spine.

Gathering the little bit of strength he had left, he scooped Hermione up into his arms and started towards the manor.

When a circle formed around him once more, he gritted his teeth, willing himself to calm down.

"Malfoy, put Hermione down!" Potter's frightened voice screeched just as another cry of thunder erupted from the infinite sky.

He looked around him, debating whether to take them all down yet again or not. But somewhere deep in a corner of his mind, a voice told him that Hermione would not want that.

"Out of my way Potter" he growled, his eyes decidedly meeting Harry's, "I won't hurt her" he added more smoothly, looking down to her face resting against his chest.

When nobody budged, he breathed in deeply, trying his best to push the preying anger away.

"Malfoy…" Potter's voice warned again.

"I won't say it again Potter… _Out of my way_" he repeated, this time raising his voice just slightly enough that they all winced.

Looking defeated, Harry examined all of his options and finally stepped to the side, the same puzzled look as the others plastered across his face.

Without demanding his rest, Draco moved towards the manor, holding Hermione tight against him for whatever reason it was.

…

It had been almost three hours since Hermione had passed out.

Lying on the white sofa in Draco's quarters, her face was peaceful and her breathing even.

He didn't know for how much longer he sat on the cold ceramic, simply watching her sleep. But at some point, she stirred, groaned and finally opened her eyes.

Quietly, she took in her environs, soon realizing she was in Draco's presence.

She winced slightly and proceeded to sit up. The memories of the night came rushing to her mind and after she had a good recap of what had happened, she met Draco's stance.

"Are you alright?" she groaned, her voice a few octaves lower than what she remembered.

He stared her down, his face devoid of any and all emotions.

After what felt like too many seconds, he slowly got up and made his way to the door which he opened widely.

"She's fine as you can see. I have not hurt her so you can leave now" he stated, his voice just harsher than necessary.

"Hermione!"

Blaise's head peered into the room soon to be followed by his body as he barged in.

"You're alright? How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine thank you Blaise. Is everyone else…"

Her voice trailed as she refused to think of what had become of her friends after she passed out.

"Everyone's ok. Ron's a bit bruised with two broken ribs and Nymphadora has a broken wrist but it's nothing serious."

She nodded, her eyes going around her friend to meet Draco's.

He was leaning against the door, his arms crossed over his chest, an impatient look sweating through his pores.

"Let's get you back to your room Hermione."

She shook her head slowly.

"I'm still a bit stiff and my head hurts. I'd rather not move for a while. I'll be fine Blaise. Go get some sleep you look like hell."

"I do right" he smiled sweetly, running a hand through his hair. "Alright then. If you need anything you call us got it?" he added, glancing over to his best friend warily.

"I will. Tell everyone I'm all right for me."

He nodded, took one last look at her and turned around.

"I hope for your sake that you know what you're doing here" he whispered to Draco as he strode out of the room. The door closed behind him and Hermione pushed away the claustrophobic feeling creeping on her.

She was once again locked in this very room with Draco Malfoy. And this time, she had chosen her fate.

"You should go…" His cold voice interrupted her train of thoughts.

Her eyes darted back to his and she wrapped her arms around her as the cold temperature of the room seeped through her bones.

"Are you alright Malfoy?" she asked again, determined to get an answer.

"What is it to you whether I'm alright or not?" he spat angrily. "Last I checked you never cared that much for my well-being so why the sudden change of heart?"

She watched him in shock, wondering why he always had to be so angry.

Turning her head away from him, she let her eyes linger on the lifeless hearth.

"Do you ever turn it on?" she asked with a nod in the direction of the fireplace.

Without looking at him, she knew he was probably drilling holes in her head with his glares. She also knew he wanted her to leave. And she should. But some minute part of her wanted to stay with him… Because when she was in his presence, she seemed to find some sort of comfort she hadn't been able to find anywhere else.

For a while, she waited for his answer until she sighed. Slowly, she got up and turned to face him:

"You're wrong Malfoy. I care about every single person that lives in this Manor. And for as long as you live here you'll be part of the people I care for the most."

Boring her eyes into his, she recognized the confusion that took place deep within them.

"Malfoy…" she continued when he still hadn't spoken a word, "You need to let someone in… I don't care if it's not me but you need to let someone try to fix you…"

"What is ruined can't be fixed Granger" he said icily.

She shook her head to express her disapproval:

"You're not ruined… You're just a bit broken perhaps but if you don't accept the help of the people who care about you, you'll end up being shattered into a million irrecoverable pieces..." Looking at him pointedly, she added in a murmur "And I'm sure that's not what your mother would have wanted…"

The dark expression his eyes usually held snapped back behind his irises suddenly and Hermione shivered. She had crossed a line with her last words but he needed to hear the truth.

"Where do you get off talking about my mother Granger?" he growled in a sneer.

"I'm not trying to hurt you Draco"

At the mention of his name, he winced, but Hermione ignored that fact and continued softy:

"I just want to help you get through this."

"I don't want your bloody help Granger! I never asked for it!" he barked, his anger simmering in his palms.

"I know you don't want it…" she smiled sadly, "But the bad news is that for some wicked reason, I want to help you. I've watched you go down this abyss of depression and anger ever since our 6th year at Hogwarts…"

"So after three years you finally decided you want to be my savior?" he interrupted, taking a few steps towards her. "You listen to me Granger, and you listen well. If you ever come down here again I'll kill you and I don't care if Potter kills me afterwards. I do not want your pity, I do not want your help. My anger is my only reason for living and I want it to stay that way so if you're as smart I recall, you better imprint that well inside that bushy head of yours."

"You're trying to hurt me with your words and you're trying to scare me away but it won't be so easy" she whispered, closing in the distance between them.

Although her voice faltered when she said it, Hermione looked him straight in the eyes to show him her determination.

"Make no mistake Granger… I might work for the Order but I still hate you more than you can ever imagine."

"And that's alright with me. You don't have to like me, you just have to let me help you."

She watched him clench and unclench his jaw, gritting his teeth loudly.

The little unspoken battle between them lasted a while before Draco finally let go of his anger. And behind those icy grey pupils that could sometimes shoot the deadliest bullets, Hermione saw the unspoken plea that did nothing but reinforce her will to help him.

With one last look at her, he made his way to the bathroom, hoping she'd be gone by the time he was done with his shower.

A small voice in his head kept screaming that she was right on all counts but he wasn't quite ready to accept it.

He still resented her. Her smile, her smell, her annoying habit of meddling into things that were of no concern to her, that thing she did with the inside of her left cheek when she was nervous … He hated it all.

As he looked at his reflection in the mirror, he wondered why his situation mattered so much to her.

Why couldn't she just hate him just like she used to before?

With rage, he punched the mirror and watched the blood seep from his knuckles slowly.

As he climbed into the shower, that harassing and annoying voice in the back of his head kept at the fact that...

S_ometimes, wealth, beauty and likes didn't necessarily matter. Because sometimes, all one needed to do was listen to the music, hear the unspoken words and let them reach deep within your heart. _

_Because all that really mattered was accepting the help being offered. _

.

.

.

**So...**

**.**

**UPDATE _ 09/0612...**

I've actually decided to end this here guys =( I can't seem to write the rest and I don't want to leave you hanging so sorry =( and if by any chance my muse ever comes back, i promise i'll write up another chapter for you and post it! =D thanks for the lovely reviews dolls!

**END OF UPDATE**

**.**

I was thinking of finishing this up here but honestly it'll be up to you guys to decide. I do have some more ideas i could develop to make it longer - maybe 2 or 3 chapters longer - so if you guys give me the go i'll be more than happy to write them and post them soon!

I'll be awaiting your answers! =)

**Night Night,  
MrsMalfoyy.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello my little darlings!**

i have some great news... =D i've actually written another chapter for this little story for you lovelies who wanted another chapter. =DDD

**PLEASE READ**: I won't guarantee that after this chapter there'll be another one but i'll tell you this much...: I'm going to try my best to make this into a somewhat longer story (10 chapters maybe?)

HOWEVER! I'm going to warn you now. I'm terrible with long stories. I tend to forget about them or not like them anymore or just plain old lazy and in turn, i have the hardest time finishing up a story that is more than maybe 3 chapters max

THEREFORE, for those of you who like this story and would like me to continue, i'll ask that you harass me to make me finish this story. I really like it and if i can finish up this one maybe i'll go back to all my unfinished other stories that i have yet to finish -_- so please... I'm just asking for a little boost, some help from those of you who understand my pitiful situation and wouldn't mind landing me a hand! =D

Ouf! -_- this was long! lol But oh well!

**Get to reading then! I hope you like it! =)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Chapter 3

**.**

**.**

**.**

For an hour Draco stayed in the bathroom, letting the hot water burn his skin. The stab wound he had left untreated down his back had now reopened and was leaking blood profusely.

When the temperature finally got too high to control, he stepped out of the shower and proceeded to dry himself off. Tying the towel around his waist, he went back to his room only to spot Hermione's frail body all bundled up on his bed. From the regular movements of her chest he knew she was asleep.

With a sneer, he turned to the closet and pulled on his boxer briefs and a pair of dark grey sweats.

Every move he made augmented the pain in his back. Usually, he would call Blaise to patch him up but today…

He sent a glare Hermione's way once more. The woman was so bloody stubborn. And the nerve of her to take up his bed and sleep on it as if it were her own…

"Granger" he called, walking over to the bed. "Granger…"

She stirred and sat up quickly "Is something wrong?"

He looked at her with disgust. Was he really about to ask her for her help? After his speech of not needing that very help?

"Malfoy… What is it?" she asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"I think there's still a piece of metal in my back… I need you to yank it out" he grumbled, turning around to give her a view of the wound.

"You've…" she gasped, "You've had this in your back the entire night?"

"Can you take it out or not?" he growled.

"Don't yell or I'll hurt you while taking it out!" she chastised as she got up. "Lay down on your stomach."

He did as he was told but not without a scowl.

Ignoring him, Hermione made her way to the bathroom and washed her hands thoroughly before returning to the bedroom.

"Conjure up an aid kit for me will you? I don't have my wand" she told him.

When he did, she grabbed a pair of gloves and slipped them on.

"Alright… this is going to hurt…" she warned, climbing on the bed.

Deciding it best not to answer, Draco lied there, awaiting to feel the scathing pain.

And when he did, he didn't budge, he didn't scream. He simply gritted his teeth, letting the discomfort settle deep.

He stayed in the same position for a while longer as Hermione patched up his wound.

The feel of her hands, even with the gloves, left burns wherever they touched his skin. But he didn't know if it was because he hated her so much or if it was because his body was welcoming the contact with someone else.

When she finally finished, she sat back and watched as he got up.

Without a word, he went around the bed and lied down, his back to her. He wanted her to leave. That intoxicating lemon mixed with vanilla smell she had brought into his room was suffocating him.

In a whisper, he turned off the lights all around the bedroom and closed his eyes angrily.

He felt a movement from the other side of the bed and thanked Merlin far too early that the girl was leaving.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

She was simply shifting to lie down as well.

"Goodnight Malfoy…" her small voice whispered.

Feigning to be asleep, he ignored her, reopening his eyes to stare emptily at the dark.

.

.

When he woke up the next morning, Draco was more than glad to find the other half of his bed empty.

Breathing in deeply, he let the cold air tighten his lungs, not even resenting the lingering lemony smell still strongly staining the room.

He actually liked it. It reminded him of his mother's garden.

Closing his eyes tightly, he rubbed angrily at them to remove the memory from his brain.

His day began as per usual from then on.

He showered. Brushed his teeth. Got dressed. And left his living quarters to go upstairs for the morning briefing.

When he entered the conference room, almost every member of the order was already there, chatting amongst themselves.

His entrance however, changed that.

They all stopped at once to turn and stare at him. Even Blaise who usually took to making him speak a few words every day simply sat at his usual seat, staring.

Ignoring all of them, he crossed the room and went to lean on the opposite wall to the door where the light wasn't as bright as everywhere else. That was his usual spot. He didn't like sitting at that table with the others. He didn't have anything to say so he didn't see the necessity.

After a few more minutes of silence, the chatter slowly began again and more members filed into the room one after the other.  
And lost as he was in some old memory of his childhood, Draco didn't see Hermione come in… Until she stopped in front of him and handed him a cup of coffee.

"You didn't come in for breakfast…" was all she said as his eyes shifted to hers and stared, hard, at her small frame.

And once more, the room fell silent.

Everyone seemed to be watching the odd exchange with interest.

"I don't want _anything_ from you." Draco answered, ignoring the stares.

"Well you're going to take it anyways" Hermione responded softly, almost in a hush. "Because if you don't, that wound down your back will start hurting all of a sudden."

The color in his eyes lightened up quickly as he tightened his jaw, gritting his teeth strongly against each other.

"That's low Granger" He growled, almost ripping her hand off as he grabbed the cup she was still handing him.

In response, she flashed him a bright smile and went to sit next to Harry, who was shooting bullets out of his eyes.

After that incident, Draco's day picked up and went on as usual. More search for deatheaters. More fights. More meetings. More research to find the horcruxes.

Until he was sitting comfortably in one of the sofas of his bedroom and the door creaked open.

"You must really have a death wish…" his voice murmured dangerously, carrying itself through the darkness to Hermione's ears.

Automatically, she froze.

She had not been expecting him to be awake. Or if she had, she had half expected him to be playing the piano again. She actually realized she had no idea what he did with his spare time.

Coming back to the situation at hand, Hermione turned in the general direction of the living room, trying to make out something from the darkness.

Cautiously, she moved forward, her arms extended in front of her in search of a chair.

Soon enough, she found the sofa and sat down disgracefully, thankful it wasn't occupied by the man who under no circumstances wanted her presence in his living quarters.

They stayed in silence for more than 30 minutes from what the low ticking of the wall clock indicated. But it wasn't an awkward silence. It was more of a comfort found in the certainty that silence was better than saying words that may offend, annoy or bother.

Finally, deciding she'd had enough time to ponder about little unimportant things – setting aside the fact that she was starting to feel a little like the darkness of the room was closing in on her –, Hermione asked:

"Do you like to read Malfoy?"

What followed her question was more complete, ear-scorching silence.

She sighed.

"I like to read but I suppose you already know that about me…"

Again, more silence.

Why she cared so much about the man sitting somewhere in the darkness probably plotting her murder she had no idea. Nevertheless, she felt this compelling urge to try harder.

"I'm just trying to be nice Malfoy… Why won't you just return the gesture…" she whispered, starting to feel defeated.

"You wouldn't have to be nice if you would just return to the people who are your friends" he said, sounding tired.

And indeed, he was. Maybe if he just gave into her little game she would leave him alone at last?

"If you would just let me, I'm sure we could be friends…"

"No we couldn't Granger. I hate just about everything about you" he said coldly, breathing in deeply that smell that was starting to feel familiar again.

Again, she sighed.

"Well if you just gave me a chance we could make sure there's no possibility of friendship between us…"

"Why is it you're so adamant to befriend me Granger?" he asked, his voice one degree angrier than it usually was. "I don't care for your friendship. And you never cared about mine either, so again, I'll ask, why now?"

It took Hermione a couple of minutes to muster up an answer:

"I don't know…"

Draco hmph'ed in response, looking straight at her although she couldn't see him. In the short silence, he heard her teeth chattering.

"You're different." She continued, "Something about you reminds me of myself… Broken up, alone, with your emotions strapping you up like a straight jacket…"

"Don't be ridiculous, you're not alone." He muttered. "Potter, Weasley and the whole band will be right at your door if so much sneeze."

She snorted.

"They'll be there if I have a broken arm. Or if my head hurts. But most of the time, they are oblivious to what's happening on the inside…"

"And you think I'm not? Or that I care?"

"I know you don't… But like I said, on that matter, we are both in the same basket."

"Don't put me in the same basket as you Granger." He snarled.

"Why? Because I'm a mudblood?" she asked, her voice smaller than before.

It took Draco a while before he could digest what he was about to say, but when he did, his voice was steady and just a tad bit softer than usual.

"No… That has nothing to do with my hatred for you Granger. And although I would love to insult you with that horrendous word just so you can leave me alone, I won't. I was wrong to have used it before."

After the words registered and processed clearly in Hermione's brain, she sat in the dark, flabbergasted, her pink lips forming an almost perfect 'o'.

Draco chose that moment to turn on the fireplace.

Slowly, the light spread through the room, illuminating Hermione's face on its way.

With an almost imperceptible smirk, he watched her recuperate from the shock slowly.

"I… Did you…"

"Save it Granger. Whatever it is you want to respond I don't want to hear it" He mumbled, staring at the bright flames dancing around in the hearth.

Many more minutes passed as Hermione stared at Draco who did nothing but gawk at the radiating that unnatural heat which's feel he had long forgotten.

"And yes…" he muttered after a while longer, "I do like to read."

With that, he sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, wondering about what it would be like to be friends with Hermione Granger.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**So?**

I'm anxious to know what you thought of the chapter... I hope i didn't disappoint... And as usual, if i did or if you didn't like a specific thing or i made a grammatical error or anything else LET ME KNOW!

Well... for those who didn't read the note in the beginning, **please help me finish up this story.** I really like it and with your help i'm sure we can all be satisfied so... bother me, inbox message me, do ANYTHING, to make me finish this story =) On my part, i promise i'll do at least 15 minutes of writing everyday to make sure i just don't 'forget' about this story! lol

P.S: I haven't decided yet when i'll be posting the new chapters but it'll be at least once a week (or if that gets too hard i'll post once every 2 weeks tops!)

P.P.S : Since i'm trying to make this into a full story, the chapters won't be as long as the previous two but they'll be at least around 2,000 words long!

sheesh i can talk a lot O_o lol

Alright loves, i'll see you all next week if you guys decide you want this story to continue! =)

**Kisses,**  
**MrsMalfoyy.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello my little ducklings xD**

Sooooo here's the new chapter to this story. I want to take a few seconds to say sorry for the delay and also to say a big thank you to anybody who has reviewed or put this story in their favorites or in their alerts! =) You guys just make me too happy! =D And also! Everyone who was waiting on this chapter needs to say **a very special thank you to LauLizS **for kicking my butt and making me finally get to writing this chapter. I had actually started it 3 weeks ago but i hated what i had written so i had to start all over again and well i just could not find the inspiration! But i'm glad to say that i think I've found it again.

But be warned, i don't specially like the beginning of this chapter :/ It sounds funny to me and i feel like my writing is also lacking a bit but i do like the second part though so... Yeah that's my story!

**Well,time for you to let me know what you think!**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Chapter 4

**.**

**.**

**.**

The next day, Hermione found herself in Draco's room once more. Only this time the blonde wasn't there. She knew from the day's schedule that he was still out chasing deatheaters with Blaise.

But that didn't stop her from going down to his quarters. For a brief instant, she wondered if it was actually a good idea to be in his room without his approval but then, she realized that lately, when it came to her being anywhere near him, she never got any approval, from him or her friends.

Sighing, she looked around the room, trying to gather any information that could tell her more about him, because despite having spent 6 years in school with him and having lived in the same house together for the past two years, she knew very little about him.

As her eyes swept the room slowly, it dawned on her that she had never seen him smile… His facial expression was always serious, bored, hateful, angry or derisive.

Thinking about it actually, she couldn't really remember him looking sad either… He seemed to always refocus those feelings to anger.

She tried to imagine what it would be like to control all her emotions constantly and gave up at once. It wasn't normal to do so and one day she was sure, Draco Malfoy would just explode.

She spent the next hour thinking about him. She didn't know why but her mind just wouldn't stop. She wondered what his childhood was like. She wondered if he'd ever had any real friends. Or what career he wanted to pursue if the war ended before they all died. Or even if he wanted to get married one day.

She had so many questions she wanted to ask him just for the sake of curiosity. But she knew he wouldn't let her do so.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the door open.

"You've made yourself comfortable I see…" he said, sending an annoyed glance her way.

"I couldn't sleep…" she lied.

She hadn't tried to sleep at all. Once she had taken a shower, she had come straight to his room. It was becoming some sort of habit.

Without acknowledging her answer, he walked to the bathroom and locked the door behind him only to come back out a short while later after his shower.

He hadn't sat down yet that Hermione asked:

"Can I ask you a question?"

Exhaling slowly, he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes.

"What?"

Shocked that he actually answered, Hermione gave a small smile.

"Where did you learn to play the piano?" she inquired.

"My mother…" he whispered.

"Oh…"

She didn't expect that to be his answer and knowing how touchy he got whenever his mother was mentioned, she quickly looked for something else to say to change the subject.

"She loved the piano" he continued, seeming to be lost in his thoughts, "Whenever my father wasn't around, she'd take me to her playroom and play for hours and eventually, when I was old enough she started teaching me…"

"Well… You play very nicely" she said softly, fighting the odd urge to hug him.

"Thank you."

For a while none of them said anything more. They simply sat there, immersed in their own world were the members of their family they cared for the most were present.

"Do you play any instrument?" he wondered out loud, for the first time finding their conversation quite pleasant.

Shaking her head slowly, Hermione looked away to an invisible object on the wall:

"My dad kind of forced me to play the violin when I was little. But I never really liked it. And when I went to Hogwarts, I had to stop the lessons, which I was quite grateful for really. But now, I regret it deeply…"

"Why didn't you like it? The violin I mean…"

"Well… My first teacher was very old and grumpy. She used to hit me all the time and when my parents finally decided to send me to another school, I had it already engrained in my head that I hated the bloody instrument."

Returning her gaze to his, she smiled softly and brought her legs up to tuck them under her.

"Would you mind playing something for me?" she asked with a nod in the direction of the piano. "I do love it when you play… It's so soothing and peaceful."

He looked at her, his expression just a bit less cold than usual before getting up slowly and making his way to the piano.

After he sat down on the stool, he seemed to take a moment to think before his hands finally went up to the keyboard.

Then, another beautiful, melancholic piece started floating into the air.

But although it was a gripping piece, it was more cheerful than the one she had heard him play the first time. The notes were not as low and the rhythm had less of a funereally speed.  
Closing her eyes, Hermione imagined it to be the soundtrack to her life. And as the notes followed each other ever so smoothly, she let herself be transported to another world.

After what felt like not enough time, Draco lifted his fingers off the keyboard and looked over to Hermione.

She was asleep.

Her eyes were closed. She looked like she was at peace with herself. The million thoughts that usually clouded her pupils were hidden; that air of permanent fatigue that usually tainted her face was absent.

With envy, Draco stared at her.

He felt angry all of a sudden. It was unexplainable. He just felt like everything was against him. He wanted to see his mother. He wanted the war to be over. But most of all, he just wanted to go somewhere far away and be by himself.

Getting up angrily, he left the room and ventured outside the property. After a long while, he finally reached his destination, dropping down disgracefully on a rock.

Letting his eyes roam indecisively over the calm water, he made to analyze his life… if it could even be called that.

He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been happy. The war was sucking every single one of them raw. And all he had left was his anger which Granger was so desperate to eradicate.

But she didn't understand… If she did take that away from him, he really wouldn't have anything else to live for. Why couldn't she see that? Why was she choosing now to meddle into his life?

He was so tired. Everyday seemed to pull him further down this abyss from which salvation seemed almost impossible.

And every time he looked at the mark on his forearm, the void just seemed to extend a little bit more.

Rubbing his eyes lazily, his mind wondered away to the gryffindor that just wouldn't leave him be.

.

.

When Hermione woke up, the cold temperature that had settled into the room sent shivers up her spine.

Something was strange.

Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. And from the time showing on the clock, she knew she hadn't slept for more than 30 minutes.

Getting up slowly, she checked the bathroom just in case. But he wasn't there.

Deciding to go look for him, she slipped one of his sweaters on and left the room.

As she walked down the hallways, the barely noticeable smell of his cologne seemed to trace a path leading to where he might be.

So she followed it.

It took about ten minutes until she got lost. The tall trees surrounding her gave her chills as they were so unfamiliar to her. And the darkness engulfing the woods didn't aid in calming her jumping nerves.

For a brief instant, she closed her eyes, pushing the fear away and trying as best as she could to relocate the very distinct musky scent that had led her up to here.

She couldn't even really remember when she had associated a smell to Draco. But now wasn't the right time to indulge in such thoughts.

She needed to find her way back either to the manor or to Malfoy. She was sure there were creatures that lurked around the woods at night and she sure didn't want to cross their paths. Especially without her wand.

Without realizing it, she arrived at a small clearing with an even smaller pond towards the left which was dimly reflecting the light from the moon. And sitting on a rock, was the very person she had come looking for.

As she took a few steps closer to him, the sight of the red liquid tainting his arm stopped her abruptly.

"Malfoy…" she tried, unsure of what exactly he was doing.

"Why can't you just leave me alone Granger" he snarled, he eyes focused on the water. "I do not want you around me! Why is it so hard for you to understand such a simple concept?"

Simply ignoring his statement, Hermione sighed annoyingly and walked slowly towards him.

"What are you doing Malfoy?"

"It's none of your business so I would greatly appreciate it if you could leave…" he spat.

"It might be none of my business as you so eloquently put it but I would still like to help…"

"Why are you so adamant to be friends with a deatheater?!" he all but yelled, throwing what looked like a knife angrily into the pond.

Taking a step back in surprise, Hermione sat down on the nearest rock and stared at him.

"You're not a deatheater…" she whispered.

"You must be even more stupid than I thought then" he muttered mockingly. "Is the mark on my arm not clear enough?"

Shaking her head frantically, Hermione moved over to sit next to him:

"I'm not interested in befriending a deatheater. I want to get to know Draco Malfoy. The boy who thinks he can live all by himself. I want to be friends with the person that joined the order and decided to act as a double agent on our behalf. You're not a deatheater Malfoy… You're one of the most important agents we have. And that mark on your arm simply means that you are brave enough to risk your life for our side and betray Voldemort."

At that, he snickered, angrily throwing a rock into the woods.

"Your obsessive need to always see the best in people even when it's not really there will be the end of you Granger"

"And your stubborn need to reject the people who are trying to help you will also make you miserable" she said seriously, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. "You're not a deatheater. You're one of us."

He wanted to tell her that she was wrong. That once somebody had the mark it automatically meant that they were just like every other deatheater so proudly attached to the Dark Lord. But he also desperately wanted to believe her.

"I tried to remove it" he said, his eyes dropping to the tattoo that moved slowly under his skin. "It won't go away."

The pain in his voice almost shattered Hermione's heart. She didn't know his feelings towards being a deatheater were so strong seeing as he almost became one just 2 years prior.

Taking off the sweater she had borrowed from him, she dipped the sleeve in the water and took his arm in her hand.

The color in his pupils seemed to dilate a bit more as his anger towards the tattoo surged once more. But Hermione didn't let his thoughts get any further as she slowly wiped the blood away.

"This mark is just ink in the form of a tattoo. It doesn't define who you are unless you allow it to. If you were a real deatheater I would've been long dead. I know you would've rathered not have it but you need to understand that war requires sacrifices, and we have each made at least one. So…" she said, bringing his now clean arm to her mouth and dropping a small kiss on it "do not ever let me hear you say that you're a deatheater. Because you aren't."

In complete shock, Draco watched as she slowly let go of his arm. The spot where her lips had previously been in contact with his skin seemed to burn intensely. He couldn't believe the gesture he had just witnessed.

When her eyes met his, she smiled sweetly at the expression on his face.

"I want to be your friend Malfoy… So I'll ask one last time that you let me in. But if you say no, I promise to never bother you again…"

"I don't know how to have friends..." he whispered once he had regained his train of thoughts. "Blaise is the only person close to a friend that I have and that's just because we grew up together."

"Like I said… I'm willing to offer my help, free of charge" she said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood.

Looking at her from the corner of his eyes, he tried to make a list of all the reasons why he didn't want her friendship but even when the list was complete, some voice deep in the back of his brain kept screaming that he at least give her a chance.

"I'm going to hurt you Granger…"

"I'm a big girl, I can defend myself" she said as she slipped her hand into his.

Taking a big breath, he let her eyes embrace his before saying:

"Ok then…"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Hum...**

Well... I guess now it's time for my judgement... :S Yikes! Let me know what you thought of the chapter pretty please. Your feedback actually do help so hopefully you'll take a minute to give me some =)

I'll have the next chapter posted by next friday. I'll try my best to have it up by tuesday but it's midterm week so i might not have enough time! And if i spend two weeks without updating, feel free to kick me in the butt with a PM =D

**Goodnight loves,  
MrsMalfoy**


	5. Chapter 5

**Darlings!**

I don't know if you guys are still following this story but here's the next chapter i promised a while back :S I'm ashamed of myself for taking so long but I'm here to redeem myself! And yayyyy winter break has started so hopefully I'll be able to focus on finishing this! :D

**Ok then, I hope you'll the chapter!**

**.**

**.**

**. **

****Chapter 5

**.**

**.**

**.**

As Hermione was getting ready to leave her room to go to Draco's, a soft knock on the door pulled her out of her reverie. With a small frown, she walked over and cracked it open just enough to see a flash of blond hair.

"Draco?" She whispered, shocked to see him anywhere outside of his room or the conference room.  
"I thought I'd come and see your living quarters for a change..."  
"Oh..." Hermione smiled, stepping to the side to let him in. "I was just about to leave for your room but we can stay here tonight..."  
He walked in, his eyes making a quick sweep of the room.  
It looked just like he imagined it would: a whole wall filled with books, a cozy sitting area to the left right in front of the fireplace, a small cherry red desk with a plushy black chair that looked worn out, a big bed with sheets the gryffindor colors and just about 20 pillows, a small balcony right across from it with a view of the whole backyard and a small part of the forest.  
All in all, the room was well designed for Hermione's personality.  
"What's that?" Draco asked, looking in the direction of the square box sitting on the wall above the fireplace.  
"Oh it's a telly. Blaise had it installed for me when we moved here but i never turned it on."  
"What does it do?"  
"Hum it diffuses images so muggles can watch the news or sports or just a movie... It's an entertainment if you will"  
"I see..."  
Dropping down on one of the sofas, Hermione looked up to find him still rooted to floor.  
"Well don't just stand there... You're making me nervous! Sit down..."  
He looked at her slowly, his eyes seeming to want to open her up and read her.  
After what felt like almost a year to her, his lips stretched in just the slightest bit and he sat down slowly.  
"It's nice in here..."  
"Yes, I like it. It gives me a sense of home..."  
He only nodded, looking out to the balcony as his expression darkened.  
"So... How was your day?" Hermione asked softly.  
For some reason, she loved looking at him. The skin around his face - and anywhere else she had seen- was so smooth, so porcelain-like she sometimes wondered if it could break easily. And his hair...  
"It was fine. Yours?"  
"Tiring and uneventful... Harry had me paired up with Cho and I don't like her very much..."  
His eyes snapped back to her, a twinkle behind them.  
"Cho Chang? How is that so... ? You like nearly everyone with the exception of some slimy slytherins of course..."  
"I'll have you know that I do not like everyone mister" she smiled gently. "There are actually quite a good amount of people I have a couple of curse words I would like to yell at them!"  
"You don't curse Granger!" He said with a small smirk.  
"Of course I do! I actually have quite an extensive vocabulary when it comes to cursing!"  
"No you don't!" This time he let out a small laugh which had Hermione frozen.  
She couldn't remember him laugh... Not counting those times he used to laugh to the detriment of some poor first year at Hogwarts.  
In response, she beamed at him. She liked the sound of that deep laugh. It was strong and resonated all the way to the pit of her stomach.  
"Well then..." He urged with a sly smile, his eyes boring into hers, "Let me hear you curse!"  
"What? Right now?" She whined. "Well I can't think of anything just like that! but I can assure you that I curse!"  
"Of course you do Granger!" He laughed again. "For future references, cursing isn't something you have to think about!"  
"Whatever Malfoy!" She grinned. "You're in a good mood today... I don't think I've ever heard you laugh before..."  
He shrugged.  
He really was in a good mood and even he couldn't remember the last time he'd been in such a state.

But today, just the thought of Granger wanting to be in his company changed everything. He had found himself wanting to see her all day long and as his patience worn out from waiting for her, he had come to her room, almost scared she didn't want to be his friend anymore.  
All the talk about not needing anyone had always been fake. He had just never met anyone that wanted or ever made the effort to get to know him so in turn he had convinced himself he didn't need anyone.  
"I think it's the effect your room has on me. It's so much less cold than mine..."  
The way he just kept his eyes trained on her all the time always made Hermione's stomach feel funny. And this time wasn't an exception.  
"Well you're welcomed to come over anytime you want."  
A string of his all too blond hair fell in front of his eyes. But he made no move to put it back into place.  
"Do you think the war will ever end Granger?" He asked after a while, averting his gaze.  
She took a while before answering. Indeed, she had asked herself that question many times before but she never put her hopes high...  
"Sometimes I don't know... Some other times I just don't think we'll ever be able to end it or that I'll die before we do... But... On some very rare occasions, I think we will win and kill Voldemort once and for all..."  
The wind outside blew fiercely, seeming to want to drown out her last sentence, but Draco had heard her clearly. Unlike her, he had no hopes for the war. He simply dreamt sometimes about what it would be like to live in peace for once.  
"I hope you're right..." He murmured.  
After a moment, Hermione got up quickly with a large grin across her face:  
"You know what, for tonight, I say we forget the war!"  
"And how do you propose we do that?" Draco asked after a moment, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.  
"We should have a movie night!"  
"A movie night? Whatever might that be?"  
"It's a night where we stay home, watch movies and eat junk food"  
"I suppose those movies you're talking about is what we watch on that telly of yours?"  
"Oh how brilliant you are Draco Malfoy!" Hermione grinned. "Ok so I'll fetch us some food from the kitchen. While I'm doing that, you can browse through my small and petty collection of movies and pick one."  
Looking like he had ended up in fairy land, Draco watched her leave the room, more excited than she had been in a long while.  
With a sigh, he got up and walked to the television where he picked up the 6 movie boxes she had pointed out to him.  
He was about to have a 'movie night'. With Granger nonetheless. He didn't even have the first clue as to what a movie was.  
For a second, while he turned the boxes over and over, he contemplated going back to his room.  
He hadn't indulged in activities that didn't round up to killing, chasing or fighting in almost 3 years and he wasn't sure he knew how to live a normal life anymore.  
Before he had any further time to ponder on whether or not he should go back to his room, Hermione waltzed back in with a pile of food in her arms.  
"I wasn't sure what you liked to eat so I got us marshmallows, crumpets, treacle tarts, cauldron cake, acid pops, bean boxes, jelly bellies and I was even able to find us some butterbeers!"  
She beamed at him, her whole face lightning up in the process. She almost looked like her old self Draco noticed and that forced his lips to stretch a little bit.  
"You're planning on feeding a herd with all this food Granger?" He said with wicked sly smile.  
For some reason, Hermione thought he looked like a predator just then, with the right side of his lip lifted up like that and the wolfish look behind his eyes.  
"Ever planning on calling me by my first name Draco?"  
"It's a habit. You can't blame me for it Her-myo-nee" he said before laughing along with her at his pronunciation of her name. "See, it even sounds weird when I say it!"  
"Fine then, suit yourself!" She grinned as she set up the food on the coffee table. "So did you pick a movie?"  
"Considering I don't know what a good movie would consist of, I just picked the one with the better image and the better description, so that would be... 'Bridget Jones's Dairy'?"  
"Ohhhh you picked well! That's one of my all time favorite movies!"  
"If you say so..."  
He watched as she popped the CD into the DVD player, turned off all the lights and came back with a blanket to sit on the opposite end of the couch.  
"Are we allowed to speak during this movie?" Draco whispered as he leaned back into the couch.  
"Well some people don't like to do so but I'm a talker! My mom always complained about that..." She said in a smaller voice.  
They sat in silence for a few minutes while the previews started.  
"Well you said it yourself Granger... Let's forget about the war... For tonight at least..."  
"Yes you're right..." She sighed.  
The last preview was just ending when Draco said something he had never said before in his life:  
"But Granger... If you ever want to talk about what happened... To your parents I mean... I can listen. I'm probably no good at giving advice but I can always try and if all else fails, you can use me as a punching bag..."  
Letting out a small laugh, Hermione relaxed before moving closer to him and laying her head on his shoulder.  
"Thanks Draco... For everything I mean..."  
After the shock of her proximity passed, Draco put one arm around her and grab some food with the other.  
The movie started.  
Bridget had just began complaining about the lack of males in her life.  
And that's when both Draco and Hermione allowed themselves to leave their world behind for another one where Ben & Jerry's were boyfriends and where Bridget Jones's weight was all the problems she had.  
As Draco kept questioning Hermione about every little muggle details in the movie, laughter filled the room to find Hermione and Draco cuddled together while enjoying each other's company.  
A weird picture which was slowly becoming not so odd anymore.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Soooo?**

****What did you guys think? I'm kind of feeling like maybe that was a bit too soon? Is it just me? Well loves, i'm counting on your opinions so don't leave me hanging! See you soon with the next chapter (which is halfway dooooone! :D) haha

**Kisses,**

**MrsMalfoyy**


End file.
